| Sir George Coles | |
| Birth Name: | George James Coles |
| Birth Date: | 28 March 1885 |
| Birth Place: | Jung Jung, Victoria, Australia |
| Death Date: | 4 December 1977 (aged 92) |
| Death Place: | Australia |
| Nationality: | Australian |
| Parents: | George W. Coles Elizabeth Mary (Scouler) Coles |
Sir George James "G.J" Coles, CBE (28 March 1885 – 4 December 1977) was an Australian entrepreneur. He was the founder of what was to become the Coles Group retail shopping empire, a large chain store group in Australia.
Born in Jung Jung, Victoria (now Jung, between Horsham and Murtoa) to shopkeeper George W. Coles (died 1932) and Elizabeth Mary Coles (née Scouler)[1] (died 1900), the first of ten children; Coles was educated at Beechworth College.[2] His mother died following the birth of her eleventh child in 1900.[3]
Coles's father married Ann Cameron "Annie" Topp of Buninyong on 20 August 1902[4] and sold his shop, measuring NaNfeet,[5] in the Victorian country town of St James to eldest son George in 1910 for £4500,[6] he then moved to Wilmot, Tasmania (around 30 km south of Ulverstone), where he opened yet another shop.
George purchased his father's shop in 1910 after having worked in Melbourne and the country for a few years. He took trips to the United States of America and Britain to learn about the American and British methods of retailing.[7]
In 1914, with brothers Jim and Arthur and capital of £2000, he opened his first shop in Smith Street, Collingwood[8] with the slogan "Nothing over a shilling", which in the early 1930s became "Nothing over 2/6d"[5] [9]
Brother Arthur enlisted with the AIF shortly after Australia joined the "Great War" (World War I). He was twice wounded and was repatriated in 1916. George enlisted with the 60th Battalion of the AIF in March 1917 and fought in France as a lance corporal.[10] Brothers Jim and David were killed during the conflict. Their uncle Jim helped manage the store during their absences.[2]
In 1924 they opened the store at Deva House, Bourke Street, Melbourne. Brothers Edgar, Kenneth and Norman had joined the Company.
In 1927 they had nine stores, all in Victoria. In that year they first offered shares to the public.
In 1938 G. J. Coles & Co. Ltd. had 86 stores across Australia and 168 in 1953.
In 1976 G. J. Coles & Co. Ltd. had 576 stores and a staff of over 36,000[2] See Coles Group for a fuller history of the company, particularly its later developments.
Coles was managing director of G. J. Coles & Co from 1923 to 1931, when, after some illness he handed the leadership role to Arthur, but remained as chairman of the board (despite very public opposition to his autocratic style) until 1956. He maintained membership on the board until 1976, when he retired.[2]
With his role in the company reduced, he was able to devote his time and energies to philanthropic and political causes. He was on the board of the Alfred Hospital and from 1933 its honorary treasurer.
He was an active member of St John's Anglican Church in Toorak.
He was an active member of Rotary and president of its Melbourne club in 1934. He helped found the Institute of Public Affairs, and was its president in 1965. He expounded on his philosophies in an interview in the January 1966 issue of their newsletter .
With fellow businessmen R. M. Williams and Sam Hordern he helped found the Equestrian Federation of Australia in 1951 to support Australia's 1956 Olympic Games equestrian team. Because of quarantine restrictions, these events were held in Stockholm, Sweden rather than the Olympic host city, Melbourne.
He was on the board of the Victorian Hospitals and Charities Commission from 1935. He was on the board of the National Bank.[5] He was an active member of the Royal Melbourne Golf Club and the Peninsula Golf Club (including a four-year term as president), the Athenaeum Club, the Victoria Racing Club and the Melbourne Cricket Club.